Outdoor lamp with adjustable wick

ABSTRACT

The invention pertains to an outdoor lamp with an adjustable wick. The fluid fuel is contained within a canister that is positioned within a conventional lamp holder. Within the cover of the lamp holder is a grooved rotating wheel that is in contact with the wick. A support shaft is connected to the rotating wheel and extends outside of the cover. Rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the wheel, whereby the wick is moved up and down to change the amount of the wick that is within the reservoir of the fluid fuel.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to the outdoor recreational and leisureindustry and, in particular, to insecticide and decorative lamps withadjustable wicks for lighting and decorative purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] With increasing frequency, people have returned to outdoorrecreation, as they have done in former days. Outdoor activities,including barbecue parties, picnics, etc., have become ever more popularsocial activities.

[0003] One problem is that there frequently can be a lack of sufficientlighting outdoors. This can be due to inclement weather or due toexcessive tree cover which is blocking the lighting. Further, duringtwilight or evening hours, light is necessarily reduced. Other times,there may be an interest in lighting for ambience. Thus, there is a needfor a simple and easy to use device for creating effect lighting or fulllighting.

[0004] Further, when torch lamps are used outdoors, they are typicallynot adjustable. Lamps on poles typically use screw on fuel canisters,thereby preventing adjustment of the flame. Thus, as the lightingchanges, it is difficult to change the emitted light. The table lightingfixtures that do have adjustability are generally very complicated andexpensive and are not easy to use. In such lamps, the fuel chamber is inthe base of the lamp and must be refilled by pouring additional fueltrough the opening.

[0005] There is currently no device known in the market, where there isboth an adjustable wick and also a removable canister to facilitateadding fuel.

[0006] Another problem with outdoor activities is that insects and bugsin general can be an annoying problem. This is especially true in thelast afternoon and early evening. As the sun is setting, bugs andinsects become an increasing problem.

[0007] One of the ways that is known in the industry for partiallyeliminating the problem is to use insect lamps or candles. These aretypically made of insect repellant materials, such as Citronella. Whensuch candles burn, they emit an insecticide into the area in thevicinity of the candle. This serves to repel and to kill insects andbugs that come within the zone of the lamp. A problem with the insectlamps currently available is that they do not have an adjustable wick.Therefore, the wick and the flame cannot be adjusted and the candle canbe used at only a certain level.

[0008] So-called hurricane lamps with adjustable wicks are known, butthey come as a self-contained unit and the reservoir within the lampmust be continually filled. Another disadvantage of these lamps is thatthey are made to sit on a flat surface, such as a table, and are notgenerally designed for use on top of a pole or other support outdoors.

[0009] There are also outdoor lamps with built in canisters for fuel,but the wicks are not adjustable. In addition to the wicks not beingadjustable, these lamps suffer from the disadvantage that they cannot berefilled once the fuel canister is emptied.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Therefore, it is an object of the instant invention to provide anoutdoor lamp with both an adjustable wick and a removable, replaceablefuel canister. By this means, the level of the wick and the flame can beadjusted to provide different levels of burning of the outdoor lamp.

[0011] Another object is to provide an outdoor lamp, which can be fittedonto any canister of fluid fuel. By this means, when a fuel canister isemptied, the lamp mechanism can be lifted from the now empty canisterand easily secured on top of a new canister with a full supply of fuel.

[0012] The outdoor lamp of this invention includes a fluid fuel that iscontained in any conventional container. The cover for the containerincludes a through opening for the wick. A grooved, rotating wheel is incontact with the wick. Rotation of the wheel necessarily causes movementof the wick up and down and thus permits adjustability of theillumination of the lamp. By a shaft, the grooved rotating wheel isconnected with a screw on the outside of the cover. Thus, rotation ofthe screw causes rotation of the grooved wheel and thus movement of thewick to change the illumination level of the lamp.

[0013] If Citronella or another appropriate fluid is used as the fluidliquid, then the outdoor lamp may also have an effect of dispensinginsecticide into the ambient air.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

[0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the outdoor lamp with anadjustable wick that is the subject of this invention.

[0015]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cover for the outdoor lamp andshowing the mechanism for adjusting the wick.

[0016]FIG. 3 is a side, elevational view, partially in section, showingthe outdoor lamp and the mechanism by which the wick is adjusted.

[0017]FIG. 4 is an enlarged, elevational, cross-sectional view of thecover and showing the mechanism by which the wick is adjusted.

[0018]FIG. 5 is a bottom, plan view of the cover for the outdoor lampwith an adjustable wick.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The instant invention is designed to work with any fluid fuel,such as liquid paraffin, that may be used in a lamp. When an insecticidebenefit is desired, Citronella or similar fluids may be used.

[0020] In the preferred embodiment, the fluid fuel is contained in aconventional container 12. The canister may be of any conventional sizeand shape and a standard plastic or metal bottle may be used for thispurpose. As shown in the preferred embodiment, the canister is a typicalround bottle with a flat bottom and a tubular shape. At its top end, thecanister 12 has a neck 22 for connection with the outdoor lamp. The neckof the canister necessarily contains a through channel to permit passageof the wick 20 for contact with the fluid fuel within the canister.

[0021] As is typical of most outdoor lamps, there is a lamp holder 14 inwhich the canister 12 of fuel is contained. As contemplated in thepreferred embodiment, the lamp holder 14 may be a truncated cone with anangled tubular body. It has a closed bottom 24 and is supported by apole 16. In alternate embodiments, a standard outdoor pole may be usedand embedded in the ground, and have a receptacle at its upper end forsecurement and positioning of the canister.

[0022] In the illustrated embodiment, as is known in the industry, thepole 16 may be secured to the bottom 24 of the lamp holder 14 in anyconventional manner. In one version, the pole may have a threaded endthat is inserted into a threaded socket on the bottom 24 of the lampholder. Any other conventional means for attaching the pole may be used.

[0023] At any appropriate location the pole 16 is inserted into theground in any suitable manner. In many cases, the end of the pole may beprofiled, so as to facilitate insertion into the ground. In some cases,it may be desirable to install the bottom of the pole in a permanentholder within the ground, such as a concrete or cement foundation. Othertimes, the bottom of the pole may be secured in a weighted stand forstability, but which can be moved from location to location.

[0024] The interior of the lamp pole 14 is shaped and configured to holdany desired canister of fluid fuel. The top 26 of the lamp holder 14 isopen for easy removal and replacement of the canister of fluid fuel. Acover 18 is provided to secure the canister within the lamp holder.

[0025] The cover may be secured to a lamp holder in any conventionalmanner. As shown in the preferred embodiment, the cover 18 includes aflange 28 around its lower section. This engages with the top 26 of thelamp holder 14 to hold the cover securely on the lamp holder. In otherembodiments, it may be desirable for both surfaces to be threaded, sothat the cover can be “screwed onto” the lamp holder, as a conventionallid is secured to a bottle. In some embodiments, it will be desirablefor the canister to sit within the lamp holder and to not be secured inany manner to the cover.

[0026] In the preferred embodiment, however, the canister is secured tothe lamp holder in order to provide a better connection between the wickand the fluid fuel. For this purpose, there is a stem 30 that isprovided on the inside of the lamp cover 18 and which has a throughchannel which is continuous with an opening in the neck 32 on the topsurface of the cover. The wick 20 is positioned within the centralchannel of the neck 32 and stem 30 and extends upward and outward fromthe top of the canister and its other end engages the fluid fuel withinthe canister.

[0027] As desired, any type of protective globe may be used to surroundthe wick, so as to provide a lamp effect.

[0028] The stem 30 has an elongate slot 34 that runs along its length.Support plates 36 are secured to the stem and extend in a directionperpendicular to the central axis of the stem. Locating holes 38 areplaced in the support plates. Supported within the support plates is ashaft 40, which extends through the locating holes and is supported byboth support plates. One end of the shaft extends through the cover andan enlarged head 42 is made integral with it. Located on the shaftbetween the support plates and in alignment with the slot 34 is arotating, grooved wheel 44. The wheel is secured on the shaft, so as tobe capable of rotation as the shaft is rotated.

[0029] The user of the device can rotate the enlarged head 42 of theshaft, which is on the outer end of the cover. In some embodiments, theenlarged head may be knurled, so as to facilitate this process. Rotationcan be in either a clockwise or a counter clockwise direction, dependingon whether it is intended to extend the wick or to reduce it.

[0030] Necessarily, rotation of the head and the shaft causes rotationof the grooved wheel. As the wheel is aligned with the slot in the stem,some portion of the wheel passes through to the interior of the stem andsecurely comes in contact with the wick. As the grooved wheel isrotated, its teeth come into contact with the wick and thereby cause upand down movement of the wick.

[0031] In cases where an insecticide lamp is desired, a fluidinsecticide may be used as the fluid fuel. In most cases, the preferredfluid insecticide is Citronella, which is commonly used in the industryas an insecticide.

[0032] Citronella is a tropical grass that is the primary source ofCitronella Oil. Citronella Oils are yellowish oils and are commonly usedas insect repellants. It is well known in the industry that by insertinga wick into Citronella Oil, a lamp can be created. By this means, theCitronella Oil “burns,” and is permeated into the atmosphere. Thisincreases the insecticide effect of the Citronella Oil over a much widerarea.

[0033] Rotation of the head of the shaft in a counter clockwisedirection causes vertical movement of the wick in the oppositedirection, so that a lesser portion of the wick is immersed within thefluid fuel. As is known in the industry, when a greater portion of thewick is contained within the fluid, the flame burns more brightly. Bythis means, the wick and the flame can be adjusted to an appropriatelevel.

[0034] The invention is described in detail with reference to aparticular embodiment, but it should be understood that other variousmodifications can be effected and still be within the spirit and scopeof the invention.

I claim:
 1. An outdoor lamp containing a removable and replaceablecanister of fluid fuel, a lamp holder in which said canister isremovably contained, a cover for said lamp holder and a wick thatextends through said cover and into said fluid fuel within saidcanister, wherein the improvement comprises said lamp cover including astem extending downward from the top of said cover towards the interiorof said cover and an elongate slot being defined along a longitudinalsurface of said stem, support plates secured to said stem and extendingin a direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of saidstem and each supporting plate including a locating hole which are inalignment, a support shaft positioned within said locating holes of saidsupporting plates and having a first end extending out of said cover andincluding a gripping surface, and a grooved rotating wheel supported bysaid support shaft, wherein said grooved wheel rotates partially withinsaid elongate slot and portions of said grooved wheel contact said wick,whereby rotation of said shaft causes rotation of said grooved wheel andup and downward movement of said wick.
 2. An outdoor lamp comprising aremovable and replaceable canister of fluid fuel and a lamp cover thatis removably affixed to said canister of fluid fuel, wherein theimprovement comprises said lamp cover including a central stem extendinginternally along the length of said lamp cover and said stem having acentral passageway in alignment with an opening in said canister; a wickorientated and positioned within said central stem with one end of saidwick being suspended within an interior of said canister and a secondend of said wick extending upward through said stem and out from the topof said lamp cover; a grooved, rotating wheel secured within said lampcover and teeth of said rotating wheel extending into said stem andcontacting said wick; and, a shaft secured to said rotating wheel andextending out from said lamp cover, whereby rotation of said shaftcauses rotation of said rotating wheel and thereby causes verticalmovement up and down of said wick.
 3. An outdoor lamp according to claim2, further comprising a globe fitted over said lamp cover.